INDOOR AIR QUALITY: Wood-Burning Stoves Get Help from HEPA Filters

摘要

In many regions wood is seen as a cheap, renewable resource, and burning wood to heat homes is prevalent in rural and urban areas of North America and Europe.1 A small, preliminary study suggests air purifiers equipped with high-efficiency particle air (HEPA) filters can lower the amount of indoor fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and smoke from woodstoves, potentially reducing residents’ risk of cardiovascular disease from exposure to these air pollutants.2 “Our study is the first that I’m aware of that has shown any measurable health benefit from HEPA filtration in wood-burning communities in relatively young, healthy people,” says study leader Ryan Allen, an assistant professor of health sciences at Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia.